California Roll Sushi Bowls (Print Version)
Seasoned sushi rice topped with crab, avocado, cucumber, nori and spicy mayo for vibrant weeknight bowls.
# What You Need:
→ Sushi Rice
01 - 1½ cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Toppings
06 - 7 oz imitation crab sticks (surimi), shredded or roughly chopped
07 - 1 large avocado, sliced
08 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced or julienned
09 - 2 sheets nori, cut into thin strips or small squares
10 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
11 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie)
12 - 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, for spicy mayo)
13 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
14 - Pickled ginger, for serving
15 - Soy sauce, for serving
# How To Make:
01 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold running water until the runoff turns completely clear. Transfer the rinsed rice and 2 cups of water to a medium saucepan, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice steam undisturbed with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully dissolved. Drizzle the mixture over the cooked rice and fold gently using a cutting motion with a rice paddle or wooden spoon—avoid mashing the grains. Allow the seasoned rice to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha until evenly combined. Adjust the sriracha quantity to your preferred heat level. Set aside.
04 - Divide the seasoned sushi rice among four serving bowls. Arrange the shredded imitation crab, avocado slices, julienned cucumber, carrot (if using), and nori strips over each bed of rice in neat sections.
05 - Drizzle the spicy mayo over each bowl and sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with pickled ginger and soy sauce on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- All the crave worthy flavors of a California roll with zero rolling technique required, which means you can pull this off even on your most exhausted weeknight.
- The contrast of warm seasoned rice against cool avocado and crunchy cucumber is the kind of textural magic that keeps you going back for another bite.
02 -
- Opening the lid while the rice cooks or skipping the resting period will give you unevenly cooked grains, so resist the urge to peek no matter how curious you get.
- Folding the vinegar seasoning with a gentle cutting motion instead of stirring aggressively is the difference between beautiful separate grains and a clumpy paste.
03 -
- Wet your knife blade before slicing the avocado to prevent it from dragging and smearing across the cut surfaces.
- Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about sixty seconds until they smell fragrant doubles their flavor with almost zero effort.